Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an improved device for transferring medical patients, and specifically, to a device comprised of a motorized winch mounted on a support frame that generates a force which to assist medical personnel in transferring patients.
2. Description of Related Art
Non-ambulatory patients are routinely transported throughout hospitals and clinics via gurneys/mobile beds to undergo diagnostic tests and/or surgical procedures. Once the patients are transported to the appropriate location, they often must be transferred from the gurney/mobile bed to a permanent bed or table (e.g. x-ray exam table, imaging exam table, catheter lab table, surgery table, etc.) to undergo treatment or diagnosis. Transferring patients from gurney to table often requires the assistance of multiple medical personnel, especially if the patient is large or overweight. Transferring patients is an especially awkward task because the patient is typically located directly adjacent to the bed or table to which he is being transferred. This arrangement prevents medical personnel from grasping one side of the patient unless they extend themselves across the bed or table. Such actions expose both patients and personnel to the risk of injury. As a result, various devices have been developed and patented to aid the process of transferring patients. These devices generally consist of modified gurneys (that tilt or extend to assist in transferring the patient), overhead or detached-frame cranes (with motorized or manual winch drives that attach to flexible patient-encompassing sheets or pads), or portable slide boards. Further, similar devices have been developed for home use that are designed to transfer disabled patients from bed to wheelchair, etc.
Inventions utilized in the home are typically installed permanently, while those used in the hospitals are generally mobile. Inventions that teach the use of a crane, winch, or other motorized mechanical device require the device to be permanently mounted or installed and typically require the attachment or fitting of some device to the patient. These requirements limit the mobility and utility of such devices by restricting their use to a single location, which increases costs associated with wide-spread facility use. Attaching harnesses and straps to the patient is time consuming and sometimes impractical depending on the patients injuries or infirmities. Further, devices that make use of a winch are usually mounted overhead and thereby make the patient prone to twisting or rotating when they are lifted. Accordingly, additional mechanisms are necessary to reduce these conditions, which increases the complexity and costs of such devices.
Conversely, devices that do not make use of motorized devices typically incorporate hydraulics or make use of Archimedes"" lever principle to provide medical personnel the power necessary to safely transfer patients. These mobile devices are usually structurally and mechanically complex, thereby requiring advanced machining and/or production of parts and increased maintenance activities, which increases the costs associated with their adoption. Further, such mobile devices are integrated into the gurney/mobile bed. While such an arrangement offers the advantage of potentially minimizing the number of times patients must be transferred between beds, it also limits the use of the device (and its incorporated transfer apparatus) to a single patient. Accordingly, facility-wide use of such devices requires the purchase of multiple units and the replacement of existing gurneys, which can result in significant expense.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that will assist medical personnel in the transfer of patients from gurney to bed and vice versa.
It is another object of the invention to make the device mobile and accessible in modern hospitals and clinics.
It is another object of the present invention to utilize a mechanical winch, or similar motorized power, to provide the power and force necessary to transfer patients with only one or two medical personnel and with limited physical effort.
It is a further object of the invention to place the motorized power on a height adjustable support frame that can be quickly stabilized for effective operation.
It is another object of the invention to avoid the risks associated with using motorized power for lifting.
It is another object of the invention to provide a patient transfer device of simple design and materials that can be manufactured at a reasonable cost.
It is a further object of the invention to make the device safe and simple to use.
These and other objects, advantages, and features of this invention will be apparent from the following description.
The present invention incorporates the advantages that are inherent to the mobile and permanent devices, while minimizing the disadvantages associated with those general designs. In the preferred embodiment, the device will be independent from existing gurneys and utilize a motorized winch to provide pulling, rather than lifting force. Further, the device is mobile and complements, rather than replaces, the use of existing gurneys, etc. within a facility.
In an alternative embodiment, the winch cable is passed over a pulley attached to the ceiling. Depending on the placement of the pulley relative to the patient and the winch, the force generated will have varying amounts of lifting and pulling components. This potential for variation may be helpful due to the many different qualities of patient which require transfer.
In either case, the winch is fixed in place so that it will resist movement no matter the level of force generated by the winch. The manner of fixing is described below, but it preferably is not permanent, facilitating the use of the device in various places throughout a facility.